Knoxville Area Urban League honors recipients of Equal Opportunity Awards at annual gala
December 14, 2021

The Knoxville Area Urban League recently honored award recipients at the Equal Opportunity Awards Gala in the categories of Volunteer of the Year, Minority Business of the Year and Corporate Leadership, along with the prestigious Whitney M. Young Lifetime Achievement Award, which went to James “Jim” Sessions and Frances “Fran” Ansley.

For the past 31 years, the Knoxville Area Urban League has hosted the Equal Opportunity Awards Gala, its most important annual fundraiser in support of the nonprofit’s mission.

“These well-deserving honorees have done so much good for our community and championed diversity, inclusion and equity for all,” said Phyllis Y. Nichols, president and CEO of the Knoxville Area Urban League. “We sincerely appreciate their contributions to Knoxville, our organization, and, more importantly, the people who call this place home.”

The 2021 event, held Oct. 28 at the Knoxville Convention Center, recognized the following award winners:

Whitney M. Young Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award: Sessions and Ansley received the most prestigious of all Urban League awards. Recipients who are honored with the award live in a way that aligns with the Urban League’s mission and values. Sessions is a retired Methodist minister and a respected activist who has held multiple influential positions in the community. He previously served as director of Highlander Research and Education Center, founder and national board member of Interfaith Worker Justice of East Tennessee and coordinator of the Commission on Religion in Appalachia.

Ansley holds a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School and is a longtime professor, author and activist. Since retiring from teaching in 2007, she has continued her active scholarship and community engagement by working with others on social justice causes and addressing issues, including immigrant rights and labor rights, in her writing.

The award is named to honor Whitney Young, the fourth executive director of the National Urban League (1961-1971). Young worked to forge new alliances and coalitions to build bridges of understanding among races. A winner is not selected every year.

Corporate Leadership Award: FirstBank was presented with the leadership award, which recognizes a company, governmental agency or entity that has shown sensitivity to diversity, employment trends and/or special program involvement and support of the Urban League and its mission. In 2020, the company established the FirstBank Diversity Council, one of its recent efforts to enhance diversity and inclusion. Chris Parrott of FirstBank accepted the award on behalf of the company.

Minority Business of the Year Award: Harry Boston, founder and president of Boston Government Services, received the annual recognition of a minority-owned business that has made an economic and social impact on the community. Boston’s company in Oak Ridge has landed twice on the Inc. 5000 list, which ranks the fastest-growing privately held U.S.-based companies.

Volunteer of the Year Award: Cynthia Finch, founder of New Direction Health Care Solutions, accepted the volunteer award, which salutes an individual or individuals who have made a significant impact on the programs and services of the Urban League and the community. Finch worked tirelessly amid the COVID-19 pandemic to vaccinate and inform Knoxvillians.

“There is no limit to what we can do together – with leaders like these, partners and neighbors,” Nichols said. “I congratulate the 2021 winners for their efforts and advocacy and for inspiring future leaders who will follow in their footsteps.”

About the Knoxville Area Urban League
Since 1968, the Knoxville Area Urban League has assisted disadvantaged people attain social and economic stability and self-sufficiency through direct services and advocacy. The League works to provide a skilled and diverse workforce; to increase homeownership; to support economic and small business development, and to enhance education efforts for our youth. The Knoxville Area Urban League is a United Way partner agency and affiliate of the National Urban League. The League’s work and results are evident in the lives of the over 11,000 people it impacts each year. For more information, call 865-524-5511 or visit www.thekaul.org.